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The Bangladesh National Cricket Team will be up against Australia in a two-match Test series, with the first game scheduled to take place on August 13 at the MCG 2 in Darwin. Ahead of the first game, there is a big relief for the Bangla Tigers as pacer Shoriful Islam has passed the fitness Test and is ready to play the first game.
This is the first time in 23 years that Bangladesh will be playing a Test match in Australia. Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side will be looking to compete against the best Test side in world cricket. Under Shanto, the side have performed well in the traditional format of the game. They will look to make an impact in the series.
Shoriful Islam fit to play against Australia
On Tuesday, Shoriful Islam passed the fitness test ahead of the Test series against Australia. The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials provided the update about the pacer to Cricbuzz. Shahriar Nafees stated that Shoriful Islam was supposed to miss the first game due to a hamstring injury that he suffered during the Zimbabwe tour in July but is fit to play now.
“He (Shoriful Islam) passed the fitness test as he was recovering from an injury and now he is fit to play,” Shahriar Nafees, BCB’s cricket-operation in-charge, told Cricbuzz on Tuesday.
Bangladesh will miss Nahid Rana in Australia
With Shoriful Islam being fit, is a good sign for the Bangla Tigers as they are already missing out on their best pacer Nahid Rana, who has been excellent across formats. Rana has been ruled out of the series as he sustained a left-side strain during the second T20I against Zimbabwe and needs at least 6 weeks to recover.
It is a major blow for the Bangla Tigers on their tour to Australia, given his impressive form in the ODI series against Australia at home, where he picked 4 wickets from two matches, and this season he has picked 44 international wickets across formats, with 11 in two Test matches this year so far.
Ashiqur Rahman provides update on Litton Das' injury
Bangladesh fielding coach Ashiqur Rahman also provided an update on wicket-keeper Litton Das, who has also been recovering from a left calf injury ahead of the first Test against Australia in Darwin. The veteran batter did not bat in the nets but did his keeping drills while the team was practicing slip catches.
“You saw Litton taking slip catches and keeping wickets, and his movement was very good. Alhamdulillah,” Ashiqur told reporters after the training session.
The fielding coach also added that in Test cricket the main thing is patience and focus in the fielding department as the ball does not come very often, but the fielders have to grab that one opportunity when the ball comes to them. So they need to maintain concentration on the field.
“The biggest thing is to maintain concentration. In longer-version cricket, the ball does not come for a long time, but when one comes, you have to take that one,” said Ashiqur.
“In longer-version cricket, turning a half-chance into a full chance is the players’ main goal. Our players are alert to this. We are working on this, on how concentration can be increased,” he said. “Our players are mentally prepared to fight in the Test,” he added.
